


Always Watching

by Jarakrisafis



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27272110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarakrisafis/pseuds/Jarakrisafis
Summary: He had watched her for weeks before he realised what he was doing.
Relationships: Cabot/Lace Harding
Comments: 7
Kudos: 8
Collections: 2020 A Paragon of Their Kind Dragon Age Dwarf Exchange





	Always Watching

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Toshi_Nama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toshi_Nama/gifts).



Cabot has always enjoyed watching people; he's got an eye for picking up things others miss. Illicit relationships, secret courting, pining suitors, fall outs; you name it, he'll know it. Everybody knows if they want to know the rumours they go to Cabot. He's never disabused any one of the rumour that he's all knowing. People that come to ask him things usually gossip and give him more information.

It was why he was startled one evening to realise that he learned nothing new despite listening to who knows how many people throughout the evening. At first he thought he was just coming down with one of those seasonal colds, despite the usual hardy constitution he enjoys as a dwarf. Yet nothing came of it, he was back to his usual self the next day.

He put it out of his mind - everybody has rough nights from time to time. Then it happened again a few weeks later. Two days he was out of sorts before he realised what the problem was. He wasn't ill. He was distracted. Too busy watching one particular patron than he was in listening to what he was being told.

He'd become one of his own lovestruck customers that he would watch with amusement and then give advice to when they draped themselves forlornly over his bar.

He tried to ignore it. He really did. But there was just something about her that he couldn't tear his eyes away from. The way her hair shone in the light, a vibrant red like fire and rubies. The graceful fingers, they danced in the air when she spoke, yet could also create the tiniest of carvings when she whittled away to pass time in between fletching. The fact she could down a pint without batting an eyelid and without stopping to breathe. The laugh, soft and low when she was amused and her giggle when she was startled… He could pick her out of a crowd without even seeing her enter his tavern.

He was gone. Well and truly gone. And for all that advice he has no idea how to approach her. She's one of the Inquisition's best scouts. She's got the Inquisitor's ear too. He was just the barkeeper.

He sighed and glanced at her table again. Empty. He turned his head away, back over the rest of his patrons. He nodded at Maryden as she played an upbeat tune about a nug of all things.

Wait…

His head snapped back to the empty table. He missed her leaving? She doesn't usually sneak out like that. He scanned the rest of the tavern, hoping she had just gone to have a word with somebody before returning to her table.

"Looking for someone?"

"No." The denial was out quickly, the last thing he needed was his servers to know he had a crush. Stone forbid, they might have tried to help.

"Oh, and here I was imagining that you'd been watching me."

He stared, mouth opening without any words escaping when he turned around and was a few inches away from her.

She was even more beautiful up close. "You have beautiful eyes." That was not what he had meant to say. "I mean, uh, unusual shade. Uhhm." That was his chance and he'd blown it, no way would she want a stuttering fool. "You know what, kill me now."

She giggled, "You never seem to take time off, why don't you leave things in their hands," she motioned towards his servers, "and come have a drink?"

He shouldn't have - he had a job to do - but her hand was resting on one arm, solid and inviting. He nodded. "That sounds lovely."

He was halfway to her table before he realised neither of them had actually got drinks. She didn't seem to notice that either as she tugged him across the tavern.


End file.
